The Alf Baker Collection fetches £75,590

The collection of Derbyshire-born Arsenal Player Alf Baker (1898-1955) fetched £75,590* in Graham Budd Auctions’ sale of Football Memorabilia on Wednesday & Thursday, December 1 & 2, 2021. The collection of eight items had been expected to fetch in the region of £50,000.

Born in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, Alf Baker was originally a miner and played for various clubs in Derbyshire as an amateur, including Eastwood Rangers. During World War I, he guested for Chesterfield, Crystal Palace and Huddersfield Town, although these appearances are not considered official. In 1919 he turned professional and signed for Arsenal. Highlights of the Collection included Baker's match worn red Arsenal jersey from F.A. Cup Final v Huddersfield Town played at Wembley Stadium April 28, 1930, by Bukta, long-sleeved with embroidered club crest, white collar and cuffs, which sold £31,330 to a Private UK Collector against an estimate of £15,000-20,000 [lot 33]; while Baker's match-worn red Arsenal jersey from the 1927 F.A. Cup Final v Cardiff City sold £28,920 to a Private UK Collector against an estimate of £10,000-15,000 [lot 31].

The interest in jerseys continued on the second day of the sale with strong prices for Manchester United pieces. Eric Cantona’s red and white Manchester United no.7 home jersey v Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final second leg at Old Trafford on April 23, 1997, during his final season at United, selling for £13,255 to a UK buyer against an estimate of £5,000-7,000 [lot 771].

As Graham Budd said: “Making his debut at Manchester United on December 6, 1992, Eric Cantona would give the final four and a half seasons of his professional football career to the club. Over 182 appearances for United, Cantona scored 82 goals in his iconic No.7 jersey with the collar turned up!”

Other high prices included Ryan Giggs’ signed red and white Manchester United no.11 jersey for the match against IFK Goteborg in the UEFA Champions League Group A at Old Trafford, 14th September 1994 which sold for £9,038 to an overseas buyer against an estimate of £500-600. Manchester United defeated IFK Goteborg 4-2, with Ryan Giggs scoring two of the four goals in the 34th and 66th minute, the other goals by Kanchelskis and Sharpe [lot 770].

And also from Manchester United, a White no.15 substitute's jersey from the 1990 F.A. Cup Final sold for £8,435. It had been estimated at £600-800 and was bought by an overseas buyer [lot 766].

Jerseys from teams such as Tottenham Hotspur; Leeds United; Atletico Madrid; Club Brugge K.V; plus jerseys for International teams such as Italy and Denmark also sold above estimate.

Elsewhere on the first day, a 1946 F.A. Cup winner's bronze medal awarded to a Derby County player - the original recipient of this medal is unknown - sold for £7,230 against an estimate of £1,000-1,500. The 1946 F.A. Cup Final was the first after the competition's suspension during the Second World War. There was a shortage of gold at this time and the winning players medals could only be struck in bronze. Later the F.A. did commission gold medals which were presented retrospectively, but the current example is one of the original bronze medals awarded on the day. Derby County defeated Charlton Athletic 4-1, at Wembley on April 27, 1946. The medal had attracted a lot of interest before the auction and was bought by a Private UK Collector [lot 63].

A trio of England International caps awarded for the three British Home Championship matches in season 1967-68 sold for £4,079 against an estimate of £1,200-1,800. The original recipient of this cap is unknown, but after attracting strong interest between telephone and internet bidders, they sold to a Private UK collector [lot 104].

A brass desktop cannon presented to Arsenal's Jack Lambert to commemorate the F.A. Cup Final victory over Huddersfield Town at Wembley, April 26, 1930 sold for £3,856. It had been estimated at £700-1,000, but sold to a Private UK collector after competition on the phones and internet [lot 113].

A programme for the match between Belfast Celtic v Glasgow Celtic, that was played at played at Celtic Park, Belfast on April 27, 1925 realised £2,892 (est: £650-750). It was bought by a Private UK Collector [lot 448].

**PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL PRICES INCLUDE 20.5% BUYERS’ PREMIUM**